Translator: imperfectluck Editor: Kurisu

  Seiji fell silent for a moment upon hearing her say this.

  "You could go over to Mika's place and sleep there," he suggested.

  "It's not so good to go over to someone else's place for New Year's."

  "What is the person that slept on someone's kotatsu on the Winter Snow Festival saying?"

  "You're right about that." Chiaki sent him a chuckling emoticon. "Not a bad suggestion. When we go greet the New Year's together later this morning, I'll ask Mika in hope that she'll take in the scaredy-cat me."

  At this moment, Seiji's cell phone beeped.

  Yukari had replied to his text message. She wished him a Happy New Year, asking him what he meant by "strange things."

  Seiji responded by asking her to log online as well, and showed her the "posts about demons" on the message forum.

  "Sweet Pig told me that someone he knew met with such a strange incident, and that it's no joke… that's why I was worried, so I sent out that message to you."

  "I see. Thank you so much for your concern, Seigo." Yukari sent him a moved emoticon along with a floating heart. "I like you even more now!"

  Seiji didn't know how to respond to such a direct flirtation.

  He paused for a moment before responding, "No need to be polite… at any rate, be careful, especially when it's nighttime."

  "Yep, I will. You be careful as well."

  "Of course."

  "By the way, are demons really injuring people?"

  "That's what the stories say. No matter what, it's probably true that there's something dangerous around."

  "Seigo, you're confident enough to defeat demons?"

  "I have some confidence."

  "How reliable, as expected of our unyielding king!" Yukari sent him a saluting emoticon.

  Seiji sent back a smiling emoticon.

  "If you really meet something, then feel free to contact me."

  'So cool.' Yukari felt that he was so cool even from across the screen, causing her face to redden.

  After that, Hoshi, Kaho, Rion and Kotomi all replied to his text message.

  Seiji showed all of them the internet links regarding the demons, and was relieved to find out that none of them had met any demons.

  The Amami siblings and Kaho all indicated their sincere thanks for Seiji's concern.

  After that, it was the arranged time to greet the New Year.

  Just as Seiji was about to turn off his computer, he received a phone call from Mika.

  "Seiji, I can't go to the New Year's greeting anymore."

  "Why's that?"

  "I received a phone call from Grandpa Zhao… He found a Spiritual Ability user teacher for me, and told me to contact her immediately."

  "What?"

  "Spiritual Ability user teacher?" Seiji was astonished.

  That Zhao-san had mentioned he would help Mika out… He didn't give her a spiritual artifact in the end, and found a teacher for her instead!?

  This… was actually pretty good.

  No, it wasn't pretty good, it was the best method!

  Mika indeed needed a teacher more than any spiritual artifact.

  A good Spiritual Ability user teacher would be able to help her tremendously… Old Zhao-san was quite right about this.

  "He said that her name was Ruri Kinchi, a skilled Spirit Controller that he found for me using his connections. He told me to call her and arrange a meeting time," Mika told him.

  "Then go ahead and contact her. I think that it's a great idea by Zhao-san. You do need a teacher."

  "I think it's good as well, and I'm quite grateful to Grandpa Zhao… But it's so sudden, and I'm a little nervous."

  "It is rather sudden." Seiji rubbed his chin in contemplation. "How about I accompany you?"

  Mika fell silent for a moment.

  "I'd like for you to accompany me… but I also feel like it's better for me to go by myself," Mika said in a light voice.

  It didn't feel right to have someone else accompanying her on the first meeting with her teacher.

  "Then go ahead and meet her by yourself." Seiji gave her some encouragement. "Conquer your nervousness and have a nice conversation with her. You can do it."

  "Yeah… Thank you, Seiji."

  "I haven't done anything worthy of being thanked for." Seiji chuckled. "As for greeting the New Year, I'll tell Chiaki to wait until later. After you finish meeting with that Kinchi-san, let's go together."

  "Okay." Mika smiled.

  They ended their phone call there.

  Seiji called Chiaki after that and explained what just occurred.

  "This master spiritual artifact craftsman from Huaxia… he seems like quite a powerful character."

  "Yeah. I don't know how far his connections go, but there's no mistaking that he's a major personage."

  "Could he actually be some sort of Huaxia royalty? Mika is actually a real princess!?"

  "You're thinking too much into things."

  "Isn't it possible, though?"

  "It's also possible for me to be the reincarnation of the strongest Yin-Yang Master in history, Seimei Kamijou."

  "Are you!?"

  "I just want to express that there's too many possibilities out there, but they're nothing more than possibilities. Stop thinking so much about them."

  "They're quite interesting to think about."

  "Well, that's up to you then. Go ahead and rest while imagining what you like." Seiji was about to hang up the call.

  "Wait a moment!" Chiaki noticed that he wanted to end the call and stopped him. "Aren't you curious about that Spiritual Ability user teacher?"

  "I am a little curious…"

  "Then let's go see her together!"

  "Huh?"

  "Let's follow Mika and take a look at the person that she's going to meet with!"

  Seiji was rendered speechless.

  "I don't want to do such a thing."

  "You hesitated just now, didn't you? Actually, you really want to go see!"

  "While I do want to go take a look, there'll be chances to meet that teacher later. There's no need to do such a thing. Besides, Mika might have left already."

  "Don't be like that~ Stalking and peeping can be quite fun, you know~"

  "Don't say it like you enjoy such activities!"

  "It is a Spirit Controller that we don't know, though. Aren't you even a little worried about Mika meeting this person by herself?"

  "Er…" This was a good one.

  "If you're worried about your clumsy friend and want to secretly protect her, you have to follow her!" Chiaki made it sound like it was an act of justice.

  "I feel like you're just covering up your intentions in pretty words…"

  "Stalking and peeping are necessary evil! For the greater good!"

  "After hearing this, it definitely doesn't sound like it's for the greater good."

  "In order to protect those dear to us, let us transform into the darkness!"

  "Even if you use cool-sounding anime lines, it's still the same."

  Seiji thought things over even as he retorted, "Still, about worrying… I am a little worried, so let's go check things out."

  "Welcome to the dark side!"

  "No, I'm still a loyal member of the light."

  Seiji hung up the call and then dialed Mika's number.

  "Did you contact Kinchi-san?"

  "I did."

  "When and where are you meeting her?"

  "One hour later, at the Black Sugar coffee café in the business district… why are you asking about this?"

  "Although Zhao-san recommended her to you, she's still a Spirit Ability user that we don't know. I'm a little worried, so I'd like to follow along," Seiji said. "I won't join in the conversation, I'll just be around nearby for protection."

  "Seiji…"

  "Is that alright with you?"

  "Yeah… Thank you," Mika said with sincere feelings. "I feel so reassured with you close by."

  "It's good as long as you don't think I'm butting in too much." Seiji chuckled.

  Right now, he felt like an older brother who was worried about his younger sister going to meet an internet friend for the first time. To be more specific, he felt just like Kyousuke Kousaka from My Little Sister Can't Be This Cute!

  As an aside, the person Mika was going to meet was named Ruri Kinchi, and had the same first name as one of the main female characters from My Little Sister Can't Be This Cute, Ruri Gokou… it really felt subtle to him.

  This Kinchi-san, she wouldn't happen to be just like "Kuroneko" Ruri Gokou and be a girl with black long hair, have a creamy complexion, red eyes, and be a chuunibyou who enjoyed wearing gothic lolita clothes, would she?

  Hahaha, how was that possible? That would be impossible.

  Seiji felt like he had been infected by Chiaki with the bad habit of thinking too much into things.

  However…


  One hour later, at the Black Sugar coffee café, he was astonished.